Jakarta. The Jakarta State Administrative Court rejected a petition by Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia on Monday (07/05) to overturn a ministerial decree disbanding the hardline Muslim organization.

The government officially disbanded HTI on July 19 last year in response to allegations that the group sought to establish a caliphate in Indonesia, in contradiction of the principles of Pancasila, the state ideology.

The decision to ban the group came a few days after President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo signed a government regulation in lieu of law granting the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights the power to dismantle mass organizations that threaten national unity.

In response to the government's decision, HTI petitioned the Jakarta State Administrative Court on Oct. 13 last year, seeking to overturn the order for its disbandment.

However, a judicial panel consisting of justices Tri Cahya Indra Permana, Nelvy Christin and Roni Erry Saputro ruled that HTI was not a mass organization but a political party, based on evidence brought before the court, Indonesian daily Republika reported.

"HTI is the same as Hizbut Tahrir all over the world. They all fight together for the establishment of a global Islamic caliphate," Judge Roni said.

The court based its ruling on video evidence of HTI discussing the establishment of a caliphate during its national congress at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta in 2013.

"A video of HTI's 2013 congress proves that the plaintiff had held a congress on a caliphate, during which participants were urged to establish a caliphate," Judge Roni said, as quoted by state-run news agency Antara.

He added that the evidence shows the HTI chairman calling on participants to reject the principle of state sovereignty in favor of the sovereignty of God.

"This is enough for the judges to find that there is sufficient proof that the plaintiff planned to establish a caliphate," the judge said.

Appeal

HTI will lodge an appeal in the State Administration High Court, its spokesman, Ismail Yusanto, said.

"We will appeal. Our aim is to reject what is unjust," he told a crowd of supporters gathered outside the court building.